MOSUL, Iraq — Due to poor weather and cloudy skies, Iraq special forces today paused temporarily in their push into the northern city of Mosul but still faced deadly attacks by the Islamic State group that killed at least seven civilians and a soldier.

In one attack, IS militants fired mortar rounds on government-controlled areas in eastern Mosul, killing seven civilians and wounding 35 others, said army medic Bashir Jabar who is in charge of a field clinic run by the Iraqi special forces.

In the city’s eastern Tahrir neighborhood, a car packed with explosives sped out from its hiding spot in a school complex, ramming into Iraqi troops’ position and exploding into a ball of fire. A soldier was killed and three were wounded, two officers said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters.

The push into Mosul stalled because clouds over the city obscured the visibility of drones and strike aircraft, said Brig. Gen. Haider Fadhil, adding that troops were using the pause to secure areas they have taken with checkpoints and sweep for explosives.

The U.S. coalition providing air cover and reconnaissance for the advancing forces has been a key element in the success of the Mosul battle so far, and the fighting stalls when the air power cannot be used.

On Wednesday, heavy fighting broke out in Tahrir, where an IS suicide car bomber disabled an Abrams tank belonging to the Iraqi army.